Filled bag closing machine



03.251932. F. LUTZ 1,884,025

FILLED BAG CLOSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 25, 1932.. F. LUTZ FILLED BAG CLOSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 g mntoz Oct. 25, 1932. F. LUTZ 1,884,025

FILLED BAG CLOSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24. 1928 r 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gn'uentof/ 5141M f1? :61: W T AM Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRIEDRICH LUTZ, OF STUTTGART, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR 'I'O UNION SPECIAL MASCEINEN FABBIK, G'. M. B. 11., OF STUTTGAR'I, GERMANY FILLED BAG CLOSING MACHINE Application filed-October 24, 1928, Serial No.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in filled bag closing machines, and more particularly to a filled bag closing machine having a plurality of sewing devices wlliich may he used independently for closing a a A object of the invention is to provide a filled bag closing machine having two independent sewing units and a single conveyor cooperating therewith conveying the filled bags past said sewing units and also having a controlling mechanism for the conveyor and the sewing units so that either sewing unit may be utilized for closing the filled bag.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a filled bag closing machine of the above type with a controlling means whereby the conveyor may be set into operation from a position at either sewing unit station and the sewing unit at that station also set into operation without setting into operation the other sewing unit.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings Fig. l is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section showing a portion of a machine embodying the improvements.

Fig. 1a is a similar view of the other portion of the machine.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine.

. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the treadle controlling mechanism for the sewing unit at the left of the machine as viewed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the treadle con trolling mechanism for the sewing unit at the right of the machine as viewed in Figs. 1 and 1a.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the treadle shifted for starting the sewing unit at the right in Fig. 1.

' Fig. 6.is a view in section showing the latch associated with the treadle at the left in the drawings.

The invention ,is directed to a filled bag sewing machine for closing filled bags one after another which are fed to and past the sewing units by .a traveling conveyor. In a machine of this type the conveyor continues 314,697, and in Germany December 12, 1927.

to present the filled bags to be closed one after another. The machine is used in connection with other machines for filling the bags, and therefore, the bags are delivered continuously one after another to be closed. If, for any reason, the closing mechanism becomes inoperative or ineffective, then the bags must be stripped from the conveyor and stored until the closing means is restored to operative condition, unless the whole plant is shut down. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a filled bag closing machine having an endless conveyor for receiving and delivering the filled bags to a stitching mechanism for closing, with two sewing units and two separate stations where these units operate. It is not the intention to use these sewing units at the same time or to use one for sewing an inner sack and another for sewing an outer sack but rather for insuring that one of the sewing units'shall be always in proper operative condition for closing a filled bag and when one unit gives out for any reason. the other may be utilized until it is restored to proper operative condition.

In the Patent 1,237,710, granted 1). S. Seymour, August 21, 1917, a duplex sack .sewing machine is disclosed wherein there are two sewing units and two separate con veyors 'and a control mechanism for the sewing units and conveyors so that one sewin'g unit may be utilized for closing an inner sack while the other sewing unit is utilized for-closing an outer sack. The present sack closing machine is of the same general character as that shown in the Seymour patent with the exception that the conveyor mechanism has been modified and the control mechanism also modified for accomplishing the new results stated, that is, the utilizing of either sewing unit as a closing means for the filled bags conveyed. past the sewing units by the conveyor.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the sewing machine at the'right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 1a includes a supporting frame 1 carrying a standard 2 provided with a bracket 8 on which is mounted a sewing head 4. At the left of the machine is another complete sewing unit which includes 'a 5 veyor which includes a supporting frame 5 mounted on standards 6, 6. Running over pulleys at the ends of the frame'is a slatted conveyor 7. This slatted conveyor 7 is driven by a sprocket wheel 8 operated by a sprocket chain 9 cooperating with a sprocket wheel on a counter shaft which, in turn, is operated by a sprocket chain 10 from a sprocket.

wheel 11 on a cross shaft mounted in the frame 1' of the sewing machine unit at the left as viewed in Fig. 1.

Also mounted in the sewing machine frame 1' is a motor 12 connected by a belt 13 to a pulley 14 which is loosely mounted on a shaft 15. The shaft '15 carries a belt pulley 16 which is fixed thereto and a belt 17 cooperating therewith also cooperates with a belt pulley 18 fixed to a shaft 19, which is mounted in the frame 1 of the right hand sewing unit.

Fixed to the shaft 15 is a clutch member 20 which is adapted to engage a friction seat on the belt pulley 14 which said pulley is moved endwise of the shaft into engagement therewith. This brings about a driving of the shaft 15. Directly above the shaft 15 is a shaft 21 which is connected through suitable driving belts with the sewing head 4. The shaft 15 is capable of being raised so that a clutch disc 22 fixed thereto may be brought into engagement with a clutch disc 23 secured to the shaft 21. These parts as to construction are similar to those shown in the Seymour Patent 1,237,710.

The shaft 19 is driven by the belt 17. Fixed to the upper end of this shaft 19 is a clutch disc 24 which is adapted to engage a clutch disc 25 fixed to the shaft 26 and the shaft 26 through suitable driving belts operates the sewing head 4.

The shaft 15 is connected through suitable gears to the cross shaft carrying the sprocket wheel 11 and, therefore, when the shaft 15 is connected up to the motor the conveyor will be operated. This connection is accomplished by a shifting of the belt pulley 14 so as to cause its friction seat to engage the friction clutch 20 fixed to the shaft 15. The belt pulley 14 is raised and lowered into engagement with the friction clutch member 20 by means of a lever 27 which is pivoted at 28 and is provided with an arm 29 adapted to engage a collar associated with the belt pulley 14 for raising and lowering the same. This lever 27 is also provided with a brake arm 30 carrying a shoe adapted to engage the clutch disc 20 for stopping the conveyor when the belt pulley is released therefrom. The swinging of the control lever 27 in a counterclockwise direction will raise the belt pulley 14 into engagement with the clutch disc 20 and this brings about an operation of both the shaft 15 and the shaft 19 and likewise the conveyor which is driven from the shaft 15. A further movement of the control lever 27 in a counterclockwise direction will lift the clutch member 22 into engagement with the clutch member 23 and thus bring'into operation the shaft 21, and the sewing head 4. There is some little space between the clutch members 22 and 23 when the conveyor is operating so that the sewing head 4 is not in action. This control lever 27 is actuated by a treadle which is associated with the sewing unit at the left as viewed in Figs. 1 and 1a. This treadle control consists of a rocking member mounted on a pivotal support 31 having an arm 32 connected by a link 33 with the control lever 27. Said rocking member is also provided with a second arm 34 to which a rod 35 is attached and'this rod carries a forwardly projecting treadle 36 on which the operator may step for the purpose of depressing the rod and-swinging the rocking member so as to pull down on the link 33 and depress the outer end of the control'lever 27 A spring 37 normally raisesthe outer end of the control lever and lifts the rod 35 and treadle mounted thereon. A stop 38 limits the downward movement of the treadle operated rod 35. A latch 39 mounted on a shaft 40 is adapted to swing over the end of the rod 35 and lock said rod in sufficient depressed position for the operation of the conveyor.

There is also a control lever for the sewingunit at the right as viewed inF i gs. 1 and 1a of the drawings, which control lever is indicated at 41. The control lever 41 is pivoted at 42 and at its free end engages a collar 43 fixed to the shaft 19. WVhen the control lever is turned in a counterclockwise direction it will raise the friction clutch member 24 into engagement with the friction clutch member 25.

There is a brake 44 associated with this controlmember 42 which is adapted to engage the clutch member 25 to stop the sewing head 4 when the clutches are separated. There is also a similar brake member 44 associated with the lever 27 for stopping the sewing head 4 when the clutch members 22 an d 23 are se arated. The control member 41 is cow necte .bya link 45 to an arm 46 of a rocking member pivoted at 47 to the frame 5 of the conveyor. This rocking member carries an arm 48 to which a rod 49 is attached and the rod 49 is provided with a treadle 50.

There is a stop 51 to limit the depression of this treadle rod 49. On the shaft 40 adjacent the treadle 50 is an actuating foot lever 52 which may be moved so as to oscillate the shaft 40 and thus release the pawl or latch 39 from the treadle rod 35 and the spring 37 will then raise the control lever 27 and release the conveyor from the driving connection to the motor. The rocking memother arm.53 and a flexible member 54 connects this arm to an arm 55 on the rocking member associated with the other sewing unit. When the rocking member associated with the right hand sewing unit is turned in a clockwise direction the flexible connection 54 will cause the rocking member at the left hand sewing unit to turn in a clockwise direction by the turning of the rocking memberat the left in a clockwise direction but the depression of the treadle 36 will not impart any movement to the rocking member associated with the right hand sewing unit.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Let me assume that it is desired to use the left hand sewing unit. The operator will stand at this station and depress the treadle 36 sufliciently to connect the conveyor with its operating mechanism. The latch 39 will swing over the rod and hold the parts in this position. As soon as the filled bag to be closed reaches thesewing head 4 the treadle 36 is depressed to a greater extent so as to cause the clutch members 22 and 23 to be connected and this will start the sewing head at the left and the bag may be closed.

This movement ofthe control members at the left, however, does not, in any way, shift the control lever 41 and, therefore, the sewing head at the right will not be operated. If it is desired to stop the sewing head at the left and use the one at the right for sewing the filled bags then the operator merely steps in front of the sewing head 4 at the right of the apparatus. The conveyor continues its movement because the treadle 36 is latched down to a suflicient extent to retain the connection of the conveyor to the operating mechanism therefor. The treadlev 36, however, when released will be moved upward by the spring 37 so as to stop the sewing unit at the left. The operator now depresses the treadle 50. This movement of the treadle 50 will pull down on the control lever 41 and cause the sewing head 4 to be connected to the shaft 19 and actuated thereby. When the treadle 50 is at its lowermost position for controlling the sewing head 4 the flexible connection 54 is drawn on and will turn the rocking member associated with the treadle 36 only to a suflicient extent to connect the conveyor to its operating mechanism. The oscillation of this control member at the left from the treadle 50 is not of a sufficient extent to shift the control lever 27 to connect the sewing head 4 .to its actuating mechanism. I

Let me suppose that no parts of the apparatus are operating and the operator desires to begin the sewing of the bags with the use of the sewing head at the right. A depression of the treadle 50 through the flexible connection 54 will operate the control lever 27 so as to connect the pulley 14 to the clutch 2.0, and this-not only sets into lever 41 may be actuated so as to connect the sewing head 4 to the shaft 19. There is a sufficient distance between the clutch mem bers 22 and 23 so that when this treadle 50 is depressed the conveyor may be first set into operation after which the sewing head 4, but without setting into operation the sewing head 4. This insures that the conveyor may be controlled from the right hand sewing unit station and the sewing head at that station only used without setting into operation the sewinghead at the other sewing unit station. Also it enables the operator to be positioned at the othersewing unit station and control the conveyor and the sewing head thereof without controlling the sewing head at the right hand sewing unit station. In order that the conveyor may be stopped from either station the shaft 40 is provided with a trip lever 52. The operator may with his foot release the latch 39 while at the left hand station and also with his foot placedagainst the trip lever 52 turn the shaft and release the latch when standing at the other operating station.

From the above it will be apparent that a filled bag sewing machine has been provided wherein a single unit conveyor conveys the bag to and past two independent sewing units and a control mechanism provided so that the conveyor may be controlled from either sewing unit station and the sewing head at that station operated without, in any way, bringing into operation the other sew- 1ng head. This filled bag sewing apparatus may, therefore, be operated for closing filled bags delivered thereto continuously without the necessity of stopping the closing apparatus if the threads of one of the sewing heads break or the sewing of the head ceases for any reason. It is obvious that the control mechanism may be modified and'the appa-ratus used in other ways. One ofthe essential features consists in the single unit conveyor associated with the two independent sewing unit stations and a control which may be manipulated at either station.

-lIaving fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A filled bag closing apparatus including two independent sewing units, a single conveyor for conveying filled bags to and past said sewing units, a driving mechanism, a clutch for connecting said driving mechanism to said conveyor, and independent clutches for connecting said driving mecha: nism to the sewing units, a control mechanism at each sewing unit station for connecting the conveyor to and disconnecting .endless conveyor mechanism,

the conveyor from the actuating mechanism and for connecting the sewing unit only at said station to said actuating mechanism.

2. A filled bag closing apparatus including two independent sewing units, a single for conveying filled bags to and past said sewing units, an actuating mechanism, a clutch for connecting said actuating mechanism to said conveyor, and independent clutches for connecting said actuating mechanism for the conveyor to the sewing units, a treadle at each sewing unit station, and devices operated thereby whereby said conveyor and sewing unit at said station are connected in succession to the actuating mechanism.-

3. A filled bag closing apparatus including two independent sewing units, a single endless conveyor for conveying filled bags to and past said sewing units, an actuating mechanism, a clutch for connecting said at:- tuating mechanism to said conveyor, and independent clutches for connecting said actuating mechanism for the conveyor to the sewing units, a treadle at each sewing unit station, devices operated thereby whereby said conveyor and sewing unit at said station are connected in succession to the actuating mechanism, and means for locking said treadle for holding the conveying mechanism connected to its actuating mechanism.

4. A filled bag-closing apparatus including two independent sewing units, a single endless conveyor for conveying filled bags to and past said sewing units, an actuating mechanism, a clutch for connecting said' actuating mechanism to said conveyor, and independent clutches for connecting said'actuating mechanism for the conveyor to the sewing units, a treadle at each sewing unit station, devices operated thereby whereby said conveyor and sewing unit at said station are connected in succession to the actuating mechanism, means for locking said treadle for holding the conveying mechanism connected to its actuating mechanism, and means whereby said holding means may be released from either sewing unit station.

5. A filled bag closing apparatus including two independent sewing units, an endless conveyor for conveying filled bags to and past the sewing units, an actuating a clutch for connecting said actuating mechanism to said conveyor, and independent clutches for connecting the sewing units to said conveyor actuating mechanism, a treadle at each sewing unit station, devices whereby either treadle may be used for connecting the conveyor to its actuating mechanism, 'and devices whereby said treadles may be used for independently connecting the sewing unit at the sewing unit station with which it is associated to the actuating mechanism.

6. A filled, bag closing apparatus including a plurality of independent sewing units, a single conveyor for conveying filledbags to and past all of said units, an actuating mechanism, a driving means for said conveyor, a clutch adapted to connect and dis connect said actuating mechanism with said conveyor driving means, an independent clutch for connecting said actuating mechanism with each sewing unit, a foot treadle, devices actuated thereby for engaging the clutch of one of the sewing units and the clutch for the conveyor, a second treadle, and devices actuated thereby for connecting the clutch for the other sewing unit and the clutch for the conveyor.

7. A filled bag closing apparatus including a plurality of independent sewing units, a single conveyor for conveying filled bags to and past all of said sewing units, ac-

tuating mechanism, driving means for said conveyor, a clutch adapted to connect and disconnect sald actuating means with said conveyor driving means, an independent clutch for connecting said actuating mecha: nism to each sewing unit, an independent foot treadle, and devices actuated thereby associated with each sewing unit for engaging the clutch of the sewing unit with which it is associated and the clutch for the conveyor.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

FRIEDRICH LUTZ. 

